This time was growing difficult for the aquatic mare, all the celebrating and yet remembering of the dead. When two members of her family needed whispered goodbyes, and one was a death Bel put squarely on her shoulders, this time seemed to grow harder and harder for her as she spent more time about. She was already planning to go to the waters, the lake later - to relax within the embrace of the water - even if it wasn't the salt water she'd have preferred. But for now she was back at the markets for a new reason - a different reason. She'd heard the whispers of those who saw the stars, and interpreted them as if they spoke their own language. Who could give you hints and promises for tomorrow, or aid in a problem or project. She wasn't sure where to go though, and so she was watching curiously and cautiously as she meandered around the venders and party-goers.

And then she saw it, a flash of an expression of enlightenment as another moved away from an area. Bel immediately headed forward, her glow lighting her way better than any of the nearby bonfires as her attention focused on an area that seemed to be set aside. Candle flames danced, piles of pillows were everywhere, gleaming with gold. Bel hesitated before moving forward, not seeing anyone with in the place. She stood awkwardly, glancing around, uncertain. She just . . . she wanted to know, some sort of hint, of possibility towards the year to come. What to expect, what to prepare for, what to wait eagerly for. Anything really - anything to give her a hint of the future to come. "Uhm, hello? Is . . . is there anyone here? I . . . uhm, I wanted to . . . I want direction." She stated softly, hesitantly as she stared into the cushioned setting. Perhaps . . . perhaps no one was home? Should she come back later? Should she even be here to begin with?

Thoughts
Speech
@Katherine @Layla
Notes: Figured I wanted to try the star reading thing - for the year ahead for Bel. I'll prolly do one for miss Cally and Caelum at some point too.

“Come, sit down.”

It is a beckoning whisper, a gentle call from inside the tent, whose darkened opening is made even darker from the glow of the bonfires and the shine of the girl’s blue light. From the outside it doesn’t seem very remarkable, canvas made of midnight and shadows, but within the pillows are rich and velvet and trimmed in gold, and the light of the candles fill the air with an intimate warmth. Inside the tent, the outside world falls away.

There is a Shed-Star sitting at the other side of the table, looking like the moon and the night sky just after sunset. In her bright, bright eyes is something far off but clear. She beckons to the empty space across from her and is already shuffling the cards before her querent takes the offered place.

She cuts the deck three times, restacks them, and then begins to pull from the top for her spread. In the end, there are 7 cards laid out between them, one in the middle with 6 circling around it. The Shed-Star smiles a Mona Lisa smile as she takes in the imagery on each of the cards, and glances back up the girl, so uncertain, searching.

“Your year—past and future—rests before you,” her voice is low, and easy, and a little reverent. She is always reverent in the presence of the cards. “This is your Sunset card,” she says, indicating the first one, to her left, laid horizontally upon the table, “It tells us about your past, what you did, what you didn’t, so when you look to this card, look to the past and take from it with you into the future.”

“Strength,” the card features a horned beetle in the center, with an iridescent shine. Beneath the beetle there is a diamond with dried, curling leaves around it, and above the beetle a lemniscate. “Beetles are small but mighty...  and the diamond, which becomes something even better under pressure, tells me that you persisted in the face of struggle. You had the strength to carry on despite the strain you experienced.” She glances quickly at the girl before turning to the next card.

“Your Horizon, what you can expect in the next year for yourself,” the Shed-Star says, the card is directly opposite the previous one, to her right. Upon it is a firefly, flying above a lotus flower that is filled with water. Above the firefly is a shining star. “The Star,” and here the woman smiles, soft, understanding, “The lotus blooms in the most unlikely of places, telling us to never accept defeat and to have unwavering faith in ourselves.”

“There is self-illumination in your future, enlightenment, of who you truly are. That is firefly’s will, to allow what is inside your heart and mind to shine as brightly as the light upon your skin does,” she looks up to the equine, eyes shining as brightly as a star themselves, “To give you the freedom to be yourself.”

When she reaches for the third card, the Shed-Star’s touch brushes across it feather light. “The Devil, your Obstacle.” The Devil can represent so many things, something different to every equine. The card features a Leviathan Cross above a skull bearing two types of horns and sporting a headpiece made of red jewels. “The Devil seeks to bind, to cage, by such things as fear and earthly institutions. He does not want to see the freedom of your soul, represented by the Leviathan Cross above his head.” She shakes her head, eyes fierce and bright as they take the girl across from her into their focus.

“The Devil would trap you with the inability to let go of your bad habits, but there is always another way,” she turns to the next card, “Your Strength.” The card is upside down, upon it is pictured a 3-eyed blue jay perched on the edge of a nest. Within the nest are 5 eggs, 3 of which are broken. “The Five of Plumes, reversed,” the Shed-Star seems to settle, like she understands, like this is meant to be. “This card is ambiguous.”

“But do not fret,” she smiles, reassuringly, “We do not know if the blue jay is friend or foe, but you can learn from her nature. She is fierce, determined, passionate, and assertive, and the presence of the third eye suggests drawing on your inner wisdom and intuition to endure. Combines these traits. You must use your life force in a positive manner, to move away from old habits. This will be your strength, and how you will overcome your obstacles.”

The next card in the spread shows a doe from the collar up, with crystals protruding from the bottom of her neck. Behind her billows dark smoke, and above her shines a full and bright moon. The card gives off an air of dignity, she looks directly at the one who looks at her. “We turn to the Queen of Stones for Advice,” the Shed-Star says at last, “This card informs your next steps, remember to learn from her and not to imitate her.”

“The Queen of Stones is forthright but not combative, she works hard alongside her people but does not value them individually because they are easily replaced.” The mare looks toward the equine across from her, observes her for a moment, and continues, “The Queen is someone who traditionally does not take risks. Additionally, the full moon tells me to warn against passivity. In advice this card tells you to remain loyal, focused, and to act in good faith.”

The haze of smoke from the candles makes the inside of the tent dim, but the Shed-Star’s eyes never seem to stop shining like the moon against the backdrop of the sky. She moves smoothly to the next card, “The God of Plumes, for navigation and guidance for the year ahead.” She studies the illustrative card, which features a headless, cloaked figure levitating a feather with an arrow point at the end. Behind the figure are clouds and above it is an upright triangle with a line through it. Inside the triangle is an eye, looking slightly skyward.

“Here is the card that you have been waiting for,” the Shed-Star says, with knowing, with quiet confidence, “this card will help you decide what is right for you; how best to focus your energy.” She looks into the great eye on the card for a long moment before speaking again. It is quiet, the sounds of the festival outside muffled. An autumn wind knocks gently against the side of the tent, hello, and passes by. At last, the woman looks up, “The God of Plumes recommends action. He is outwardly focused, as indicated by his upward gazing eye. This card indicates for you an entry into reasoning, the pursuit of knowledge and communication. There is optimism and evolution in your future. Hope.”

Now, there is only one last card on the table left unread. It sits in the middle of the 6 other cards, two jawbones almost perfectly mirrored, with a lemniscate above them. “Your Clarity card remains, to offer insight as to the big picture,” the Shed-Star says slowly, thoughtfully, glancing at the card. “The Two of Bones.” It is a simple card, by far the simplest of every other card that has appeared so far in the reading.

“See how the jawbone on the left is missing its canine?” she says, directing the other mare’s attention, “The jaw is constantly moving, shifting, working together. The infinity symbol tells us the ultimate truth that life is eternal and that nothing is destroyed but only changes form.” Nothing and nobody is ever truly gone, that much she knows, as she smiles at the girl across from her, “And change is inevitable, as shown by the tooth that has fallen from the one side of the jaw.”

“This is not a sign of imperfection, merely just how things are; you must make do, keep adapting, adjusting and moving forward rather than allow yourself to get stuck or to feel in denial about the changes happening around or to you.” There it is again, the knowing in her eyes. Like the embers of a fire it shines from within, glowing as the moon, fine and gossamer. A strong wind pulls the flap to the tent open, as if to beckon Below Zero outside once more. “What comes is manageable, always remember that,” the Shed-Star says finally, gathering up the cards and offering a parting smile.